The Red Bull team has endured a tough season thus far. Despite a strong start to the championship, the Bulls find themselves in a do-or-die situation with only six rounds to go. The majority of the worries emerge from technical woes and internal chaos. Therefore, the ongoing season has been like a cloudy day with occasional sunlight.
However, the team is still searching for domination, while McLaren is on the verge of breaching its defense. Meanwhile, after a string of low-quality performances, RBR finally clinched a second-place finish in the Singapore GP. This result came as a rainbow on a dreary day for the Milton Keynes-based outfit. Now, the team is looking to capitalize on the momentum in Singapore, as Max Verstappen recently clinched the Austin sprint pole.
Helmut Marko Upbeat After Sprint Qualifying
Red Bull Racing has introduced a significant upgrade package at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, after struggling against McLaren for the better part of the last ten races. The British team has not only surpassed Red Bull in performance but also taken the lead in the Constructors’ Championship by a margin of 41 points. Max Verstappen, who hasn’t won a race since the Spanish Grand Prix in June, last secured pole position at Imola. Adding to his struggles, he took an engine penalty at the Belgian GP, which pushed him outside the points.
However, in a recent Sprint qualifying session, Verstappen set the fastest lap at the last moment of SQ3, edging out Mercedes’ George Russell by just 0.012 seconds. An enthusiastic Helmut Marko, speaking with PlanetF1, was thrilled with the result, declaring that Red Bull had regained its form, confidently stating, “Red Bull is back.”
“It Was A Positive Day,” Max Verstappen Kicks Off Austin GP With Strong Performance
In the recent Sprint qualifying session, Max Verstappen delivered an impressive performance by securing the fastest lap during the closing moments of SQ3, edging out Mercedes’ George Russell by a mere 0.012 seconds. This result thrilled Helmut Marko, as he confidently expressed that Red Bull had regained its competitive edge after recent struggles.
Max Verstappen reflected on the day, noting that the car felt comfortable and competitive from the very first lap, especially in high-speed corners where they showed strong pace. Sprint qualifying presented unique challenges, as drivers typically do two runs on medium tires to gather reference points, followed by a single push on soft tires in SQ3. Despite the limitations of only having one lap to push truly, Verstappen was pleased with the car’s performance, though he acknowledged a few minor balance issues that needed sorting. He remained optimistic about the remainder of the weekend, focusing on improving the car’s drivability and managing the tires effectively during the race.
